2014 Engineering Leaders Under 40

There is no single path to a career in manufacturing. Some kids play with LEGOs; others find their career through a parent’s involvement in the industry. Others get involved in manufacturing through the serendipity of being in the right place at the right time in their lives.

The 2014 Engineering Leaders Under 40 each have a story to tell about their path into manufacturing. They are mothers and fathers, veterans and students, but they all have found manufacturing a career worth investing their lives in. In turn, their contributions will benefit manufacturing for decades to come.

They have come to engineering at a time where their skills and commitment are needed more than ever. They also come at a time when we need many more like them. The national consensus is that the skills gap is real, that it is inhibiting the already-dynamic growth of 2014 Engineering Leaders Under 40 American manufacturing. Plant Engineering research has shown for many years that the lack of skilled workers is the top issue facing manufacturing professionals. The 2013 Salary Survey found that 35% of manufacturers cited the skilled worker shortage as their most pressing issue; no other concern topped 20%.

While the paths of the 2014 Engineering Leaders Under 40 took to a manufacturing career are varied, the goals are all the same: to build a long career that advances both their personal and professional goals. At a time in manufacturing when we need to find more skilled workers, the stories of these young professionals should serve as an example to others who choose to join this profession, and as an example to manufacturers as to how to recruit, train and retain the next generation of manufacturing professionals.